Friday, December 18, 2009

US airstrike kills 3 in North Waziristan

The US killed three Islamist terrorists in the third airstrike in two days in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan.

The strike, carried out by unmanned Predator or Reaper attack aircraft, hit a Taliban safe house in the Datta Khel region in North Waziristan. Several Hellfire missiles were reported to have been launched in the airstrike.

"The US drone missiles hit a house in the mountains," a Pakistani intelligence official told Dawn. "We have reports of three militants killed and five injured. The house was completely destroyed."

US intelligence officials contacted by The Long War Journal would not comment on the target of the attack.

The Datta Khel region was the focus of two airstrikes yesterday which killed a senior al Qaeda commander and six fighters, as well as 11 Haqqani Network fighters.

The al Qaeda commander was identified as Zuhaib al Zahibi. A senior US military intelligence official described Zahibi as "a general officer equivalent" in the Lashkar al Zil, or the Shadow Army.

The Datta Khel region is a stronghold of both the Haqqani Network and North Waziristan Taliban leader Hafiz Gul Bahadar; they both shelter al Qaeda leaders and fighters. The US has pressured Pakistan to dismantle the Haqqani Network, but has been rebuffed.

The Haqqani family is led by Jalaluddin and his son Siraj, who serves as the military commander. The network is based in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, and has the backing of the Pakistani military and its intelligence service. The Haqqanis have strong ties to al Qaeda. Siraj Haqqani is believed to be a member of al Qaeda's military shura, or council, US intelligence officials have told The Long War Journal.

The US has zeroed in on the Haqqani Network since killing Baitullah Mehsud in an Aug. 5 strike in South Waziristan. Baitullah was the leader of the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan, one of several Taliban groups operating in Pakistan.

Since the Aug. 5 strike, 14 of the 18 reported airstrikes have taken place in North Waziristan, while the other four were in South Waziristan. Nine of the 14 attacks in North Waziristan occurred in territory administered by the Haqqani Network.

So far this year, the US has carried out 50 airstrikes inside Pakistan. In all of 2008, 36 strikes were carried out. Since the US ramped up cross-border attacks in August 2008, 16 senior al Qaeda and Taliban leaders have been killed.

US airstrikes in Pakistan in 2009:

• US airstrike kills 3 in North WaziristanDec. 18, 2009• Al Qaeda Shadow Army commander killed in US strike [two airstrikes in North Waziristan]Dec. 17, 2009• US strike kills 4 al Qaeda, 2 Taliban in South WaziristanDec. 10, 2009• US airstrike kills 3 in North WaziristanDec. 8, 2009• US airstrike kills 4 Taliban in North WaziristanNov. 18, 2009• US kills 4 in North Waziristan airstrikeNov. 4, 2009• US airstrike targets al Qaeda in North WaziristanOct. 21, 2009• US kills 4 in strike on Haqqani Network in North WaziristanOct. 14, 2009• US strike kills Haqqani Network and foreign fighters in North WaziristanSept. 30, 2009• US aircraft strike in North and South WaziristanSept. 29, 2009• US airstrike targets Haqqani Network in North WaziristanSept. 24, 2009• Two al Qaeda leaders reported killed in North Waziristan strikeSept. 14, 2009• 12 killed in second US strike in North WaziristanSept. 8, 2009• Senior al Qaeda leaders reported killed in North Waziristan strikeSept. 7, 2009• US strikes Taliban compound in South Waziristan, 8 killedAug. 27, 2009• US Predators target the Haqqanis in North WaziristanAug. 20, 2009• US kills 14 in strike on Taliban training camp in South WaziristanAug. 11, 2009• Baitullah Mehsud's wife killed in Predator attackAug. 5, 2009• US Predator strikes in North Waziristan, kills 5July 17, 2009• US strikes Taliban communications center in South WaziristanJuly 10, 2009• US kills 25 Taliban in second Predator strike in South WaziristanJuly 8, 2009• US Predator strike on Taliban camp kills 8 in South WaziristanJuly 8, 2009• US Predator strike kills 14 Taliban in South WaziristanJuly 7, 2009• 13 Taliban fighters killed in US airstrikes in PakistanJuly 3, 2009• Scores of Taliban killed in second US strike in South WaziristanJune 23, 2009• Six killed in US Predator attack in South WaziristanJune 23, 2009• US strikes target Mullah Nazir in South WaziristanJune 18, 2009• US kills 5 in South Waziristan strikeJune 14, 2009• US strikes Taliban, al Qaeda in North WaziristanMay 16, 2009• US strikes again in South WaziristanMay 12, 2009• US strike targets Baitullah Mehsud territory in South WaziristanMay 9, 2009• US strike kills 10 Taliban in South WaziristanApril 29, 2009• US airstrike targets Taliban training camp in South WaziristanApril 19, 2009• US Predator kills four in South Waziristan strikeApril 8, 2009• US strikes Haqqani Network in North WaziristanApril 4, 2009• US launches first strike in Arakzai tribal agencyApril 1, 2009• Latest US strike targets al Qaeda safe house in North WaziristanMarch 26, 2009• US airstrike kills 8 in Baitullah Mehsud's hometownMarch 25, 2009• US launches second strike outside of Pakistan's tribal areasMarch 15, 2009• US missile strike in Kurram agency kills 14March 12, 2009• US airstrike kills 8 in South WaziristanMarch 1, 2009• US airstrike in Pakistan's Kurram tribal agency kills 30Feb. 16, 2009• US Predator strike in South Waziristan kills 25Feb. 14, 2009• US strikes al Qaeda in North and South WaziristanJan. 23, 2009• US hits South Waziristan in second strikeJan. 2, 2009• US kills 4 al Qaeda operatives in South Waziristan strikeJan. 1, 2009